With the abundance of summer tomatoes, a simple but flavorful quiche is one of the best things you can make any night of the week.

Summer is here, and with it comes the abundance of those ruby red gems… tomatoes. All shapes and forms, when in season, make your meal one of the most sought-after.

fresh tomato quiche

Combine a creamy egg base with your tomatoes and a generous amount of cheese, and you have a great savory pie any day.

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This classic French savory dish is a crowd-pleaser, served warm or at room temperature, and is the best addition to your lunch, brunch, or pool party menu.

While preparing this quiche, I had fun with some techniques that made my life so much easier and this dish faster to prepare. Of course, I will share all the details with all of you.

But first…

In this Article

Why you will love this recipe

Quiche is the most versatile and customizable dish you can prepare for your family at dinner time. With a few pantry staple items, you will always have a perfect dish to bring to your table.

You can serve it for lunch, brunch, or dinner – Enjoy this beautiful French quiche in your terrace or garden, a chilled bottle of white wine, and an easy classic green salad. Summer at its best!

Make ahead – Since you can enjoy this tomato quiche at room temperature, it is the perfect meal anytime. Thinking of summer barbeques or pool parties, potlucks!

Tomato Quiche

Ingredients needed to make this tomato quiche recipe

Campari tomatoes or regular tomatoes – They add the sweetness of summer and a sweet burst of flavor. You can use any vine-ripe tomatoes. The smaller the better they will bake.

Pastry dough pie crust – to save time, I used store-bought pastry pie dough. You can make it from scratch if you desire.

Eggs – depending on the size, five if your eggs are large, or six is smaller

Gruyere cheese – freshly grated is always best.

Salt and black pepper – To season and taste

Heavy cream – is the best for a rich taste, although whole milk could be substituted in a pinch. Add a tablespoon of flour to the egg mixture to assist in binding.

Unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking or baking to control the amount of sodium. Salted butter not only adds too much salt to your dish, but it changes the flavor.

fresh tomato quiche ingredients

Equipment Needed

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Sharp chef’s knife

10-inch Pie pan with a removable bottom

Large skillet

Pyrex measuring cup that you can use to whip the eggs and the heavy cream

Whisk

Cooking tongs

Parchment paper you will not find a 10-inch, the 9-inch will work.

Immersion blender is optional but very helpful for whipping the perfect eggs.

Step by step on making this delicious quiche

Are you ready to make your tomato quiche? Welcome to the easiest creation ever.

As with all my recipes, gather all your tools and ingredients before starting.

The instructions below seem so long, but they are quite the opposite.

Let’s start with the 10-inch removable bottom pan:

  • Use half of a tablespoon of unsalted butter and spread it well around the ring part of your mold. Make sure that all the fluted edges are well covered with butter. Add very little to the bottom part concentration on the outer edges. Once done, place a round piece of parchment paper over it.
  • Roll out the pastry pie dough and gently place it over the pie pan. With your finger, make sure that all the fluted sides are filled. Set aside or in the refrigerator.

Now, let’s work on the tomatoes.

  • Wash them well and slice them horizontally. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the cut side.

The next step is a step that an outstanding chef and friend of mine, Eliane, showed me when working with her. Cooking the tomatoes cut side down on a skillet removes some of the liquid and makes them softer, making the baking time shorter and your quiche less soggy.

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the cut side of the tomatoes facing the skillet. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until some of the juices are rendered and the tomatoes are soft but not falling apart.
  • Remove with the help of cooking tongs and place the tomatoes half’s into the pie pan cut side up.
Tomatoes in a skillet cut side down
tomatoes in pie dish

Making the filling

I used an immersion blender to blend the eggs. That’s the best move ever! The egg’s yolks and white were well combined, aerated, and made for a lighter custard.

  • Add the eggs with a pinch of salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
  • Add the heavy cream and mix that for a couple of seconds.
  • Add some or all of the grated cheese to the egg mixture and pour over your tomatoes, ensuring the cheese is well disbursed.
egg mixture with cheese over the tomatoes
  • Please place it in the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the middle is firm when shaken and has a beautiful golden color.

In regards to the cheese, if you wish, add some at the bottom of the pie under the tomatoes or sprinkle evenly all over and around the tomatoes instead of adding it to the egg mixture.

Thanks to the cheese on top, you want to achieve a golden top with a light crunch.

Tomato Quiche done out of the oven

Pro Tips

Place a baking tray in the oven – This helps catch any quiche that may overflow.

How to know when your quiche is done – The custard mixture will be a beautiful golden color, and the middle is set when you insert a knife in the center, and it comes out clean.

To prevent a soggy bottom – ensure your oven is fully pre-heated at 400 degrees F and bake your quiche for at least 10 minutes. This will seal in your crust by fast cooking it and not allowing the extra moisture to create a soggy bottom. I recommend placing a sheet of aluminum foil over your quiche. Halfway through baking, lower the heat to 375 degrees F and remove the foil to allow a beautiful crust to form.

What is the best pan to use for a quiche?

French quiches are baked in a 10-inch pie pan with a removable bottom. I use a 10-inch for this recipe, which makes for a beautifully thin.

In the USA, most quiches are baked into a 9-inch. Do add a few minutes to your baking time if using a 9-inch and ensure you do not overcrowd the pan as it may spill over.

On that note, if using a 9-inch, use smaller eggs or just five, as it will be too much filling and it will not fit in your pie dish.

Tart pans also have fluted edges, making an excellent table presentation.

Tomato Quiche with slice removed

What is the best cheese for a quiche?

  • Swiss cheese, Gruyere, and Emmenthal are the best, as they can melt at high temperatures. Freshly grated cheese is always the best choice.
  • With that said, you can use any cheese you want. From feta, goat cheese, grated parmesan cheese, and mozzarella to Monterey jack cheese. Even cheddar cheese can be used.

All the above cheeses work well with the custardy texture of your quiche.

What dishes can you enjoy with this excellent tomato quiche?

  • Salad will and is one of the best side dishes to enjoy this quiche.

Variations and Ingredients Substitutions

Crustless – a great alternative to a pastry base. Add a teaspoon of all purpose flour to your pastry mold and bake in a silicone mold, a must, which will be easier to unmold.

Fresh herbs – Fresh basil, another great summer herb, goes well with the quiche; you may want to add a few leaves. Chives and thyme will be an excellent addition, too.

Softly caramelized onion – will add richness to it for more of a wintery dinner.

Tomato Quiche on a white plate

Storing and Reheating

Store your leftover tomato quiche covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat entirely or in slices in the oven until heated through.

This quiche can be frozen for up to two months. Ensure your quiche is thoroughly cooled off. You can freeze your whole quiche, or, for convenience, slice it and wrap it on parchment paper, then foil paper and store it in your freezer for up to a month.

When ready to enjoy again, remove from the freezer and bake from frozen at 350 degrees F until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my pie shell stick to the bottom of the pan?

Your oven is not hot enough. Start at 400 degrees F so your crust can be cooked faster, and then lower your heat halfway through to 375 degrees F. I recommend covering the top of your quiche with aluminum foil when baking at 400F so it will not burn.

Is heavy cream better than milk in tomato quiche?

Quiche always requires heavy creamy to give you that beautiful custard. If you do not have any on hand, add a tablespoon of flour to your milk and eggs to ensure they solidify when baking.

What is the difference between a frittata and a quiche?

A frittata, an Italian dish, is partially cooked in a skillet, partially on the stovetop, and then finished in the oven. It also uses fewer eggs. Quiche, a French dish, has a creamier custard-like texture and is cooked fully in the oven.

How do you prevent a watery tomato quiche?

Cutting the tomatoes into slices, salting them, and letting them rest for 20 minutes will eliminate the excess moisture. Ensure that your oven is very hot when you bake your quiche.

If you enjoy this quiche with fresh tomatoes, you may want to try my other recipes.

Quiche Lorraine – A French Classic

Fresh Asparagus Quiche – Spring is Here

French Onion Tart – The Vintage Way

Zucchini Feta Cheese Quiche – Refreshing and Healthy

Fresh Tomato Quiche A Delicious and Easy Recipe

5 from 7 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Giangi Townsend
With the abundance of summer tomatoes, a simple but flavorful tomato quiche is one of the best dinners you can make any night of the week.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pastry dough sheet
  • 6 eggs
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 12 Campari tomatoes, – or 6 to 8 small to medium tomatoes

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Using a 10” removable bottom tarte pan, butter the sides and the bottom well. Line with a round parchment paper and roll your pastry dough sheet over it. Push along the sides to ensure no pockets are formed, and press around the scalloped edges of the pan.
  • Slice the tomatoes in half crosswise. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter, add the tomatoes half-cut side facing the skillet, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. You want the tomatoes soft but not falling apart.
  • Remove the tomatoes from the skillet, and with the help of cooking tongs, place them cut side up into the prepared tart pan.
  • In a small bowl whisk the eggs, heavy cream, salt, and pepper until well blended.
  • Add the gruyere cheese over your tomatoes and around it. Pour the egg cream mixture over it and bake in the middle rack in the hot oven for 20 minutes. The top will turn a beautiful golden color.

Notes

PRO TIPS

Place a baking tray in the oven – This helps catch any quiche that may overflow.
How to know when your quiche is done – The custard mixture will be a beautiful golden color, and the middle is set when you insert a knife in the center, and it comes out clean.
To prevent a soggy bottom – ensure your oven is fully pre-heated at 400 degrees F and bake your quiche for at least 10 minutes.
This will seal in your crust by fast cooking it and not allowing the extra moisture to create a soggy bottom.
I recommend placing a sheet of aluminum foil over your quiche. Halfway through baking, lower the heat to 375 degrees F and remove the foil to allow a beautiful crust to form.
Pre-cooking the tomatoes for a couple of minutes –  Cooking the tomatoes cut side down on a skillet removes some of the liquid and makes them softer, making the baking time shorter and your quiche less soggy. 

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 321mg | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1628IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 1mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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